Miscellaneous Use of Articles

Exercise 1. Comment on the function of articles in the following sentences.

1. Meg looked very like a rose herself, for all that was best and sweetest in heart and soul seemed to bloom into her face that day, making it fair and tender, with a charm more beautiful than beauty. Neither silk, lace, nor orange flowers would she have. (Louisa May Alcott)

2. Let a man do a man’s job. (Terry McMillan)

3. Then you’re convinced that the wrong man was executed. (Patricia D. Cornwell)

4. The June roses over the porch were awake bright and early on that morning, rejoicing with all their hearts in the cloudless sunshine, like friendly little neighbours, as they were. (Louisa May Alcott)

5. He thought she was the most attractive human creature he had ever seen. (F. Sc. Fitzgerald)

6. Cathy had been caught in the fact of plundering, or, at least, hunting out the nests of the grouse. The Heights were Heathcliff’s land, and he was reproving the poacher. (E. Bronte)

7. ‘Oh, fie, silly child!’ I exclaimed. ‘If you had any griefs, you’d be ashamed to waste a tear on this little contrariety.’ (E. Bronte)

8. His life is not worth a farthing, and I won’t spend a farthing on him. (E. Bronte)

9. Many rooks, high up, came cawing home across the softly-woven sky. (D.H. Lawrence)

10. There began a battle between the husband and wife – a fearful, bloody battle that ended only with the death of one. (D.H. Lawrence)

11. The sun was going down. Every open evening, the hills of Derbyshire were blazed over with red sunset. (D.H. Lawrence)

12. Much of the area was a flat, chalky gray contrasting sharply with the surrounding gray-green hills and a sky of pale blue. (S. Grafton)

13. It was another world from the river he knew, under that remote cool light; a world into which man had not entered, and unreal world, like some strange shore sighted by discovery. (John Galsworthy)

14. A man and woman came to the table. Mr. and Mrs. Business: dark suits, briefcases, smooth hair, round glasses. (Robert B. Parker)

15. I should be in a curious taking if I surrendered my heart to that young person, and the daughter turned out a second edition of the mother! (E. Bronte)

16. But there was nothing to be gained by infuriating William with reprimand, so he said gently: ‘Heaven and hell is what I deal in. Virtue and sin, forgiveness and punishment, good and evil, I’m afraid I can’t shut up about them.’ (Ken Follett)

17. She would never accept the hospitality of a stranger, never leave her door unlocked at night, never take kindness at face value. (Ken Follett)

18. Jo did not cry, though she was very near it once, and was only saved from a demonstration by the consciousness that Laurie was staring fixedly at her, with a comical mixture of merriment and emotion in his wicked black eyes. (Louisa May Alcott)

19. It’s human nature. (S. Grafton)

20. ‘I am going to be a beauty, aren’t I, Danny?’ (D. du Maurier)

21. On his way out, he paused to embrace Kit, with a tenderness that made Gladys’s eyes prickle, and brushed his lips against Lily’s white forehead. (K. Saunders)

22. He was a tall, thin man with a rather foxy face, the kind of face that seems to lack eyelashes. He walked with a stiff, brittle dignity, as if his head were on a wooden spring. (D.H. Lawrence)

23. I know he couldn’t love a Linton; and yet he’d be quite capable of marrying your fortune and expectations; avarice is growing with him a besetting sin. (E. Bronte)

24. About twelve o’clock, that night, was born the Catherine you saw at Wuthering Heights: a puny, seven months’ child; and two hours after the mother died, having never recovered sufficient consciousness to miss Heathcliff, or know Edgar. (E. Bronte)

25. And, as though he had uttered words of profound consolation, he was silent, eating brains with a fork and a piece of bread, and swallowing the bread. (John Galsworthy)

26. She knew William was at the dipping-hole, and it was the dread of her life lest he should get drowned. (D.H. Lawrence)

27. ‘Go out of the house!’ she commanded him in fury. (D.H. Lawrence)

28. In a towering rage, he sat down. (D.H. Lawrence)

29. Something in her proud, honourable soul had crystallized out hard as rock. (D.H. Lawrence)

30. His earliest recollection was of great branches of lilac, standing in white jars, and they filled the house with a wistful, poignant smell. (D. du Maurier)

31. At first, I expected there would be sad work persuading you to let me keep my word to Linton. (E. Bronte)

32. We talked little during the drive, for Lucy seemed to be fascinated by the winter weather. (Patricia D. Cornwell)

33. I was weary and felt a dull, implacable sadness that I did not have the strength to chase away. (Patricia D. Cornwell)

34. ‘Well, sir,’ returned I, ‘I hope you’ll consider that Mrs Heathcliff is accustomed to be looked after and waited on; and that she has been brought up like an only daughter, whom everyone was ready to serve.’ (E. Bronte)

35. She stated the obvious without emotion. (Patricia D. Cornwell)

36. Come, give me a true history of the event. (E. Bronte)

37. Susan was the daughter of a minister and had abandoned religion long ago. (Patricia D. Cornwell)

38. Among the last to arrive were the leading citizens: the butcher, the baker, two leather tanners, two smiths, the cutler and the fletcher, all with their wives. (Ken Follett)

39. When I was prior of St-John-in-the-Forest I never had an escort, and I am still alive. (Ken Follett)

40. In France, which after all is the only civilized country in the world, Isabel would marry Gray without thinking twice about it. (W.S. Maugham)

41. I noticed on that occasion how much selfishness there is even in a love like Mr Linton’s, when he so regretted Catherine’s blessed release! (E. Bronte)

42. The children were put to bed at seven o’clock. (D.H. Lawrence)

43. He pitched onto the bed and rolled over on his face with a deadly fear that he was going mad. (F. Sc. Fitzgerald)

44. After dinner they went out on to the terrace to have coffee. (John Galsworthy)

45. ‘He’s safe and I’m free,’ she answered: ‘I should feel well – but,’ she continued with a bitterness she couldn’t conceal, ‘you have left me so long to struggle against death, alone, that I feel and see only death! I feel like death!’ (E. Bronte)

46. He took first honours in English Literature at Trinity College. (Jack Higgins)

47. Can you wait until evening? (R.B. Parker)

48. ‘This is the only barber shop in the neighbourhood,’ the barber said. (S. Sheldon)

49. I believe I may assert that they were really in possession of deep and growing happiness. (E. Bronte)

50. We had lunch at a quarter to nine. (D. du Maurier)

51. It was late afternoon by the time his cart was finally filled and he headed back toward the ghetto. (S. Sheldon)

52. I have fought through a bitter life since I last heard your voice; and you must forgive me, for I struggled only for you. (E. Bronte)

53. Breakfast was hot gruel with salt. (Ken Follett)

54. It was midnight. (C. Bushnell)

55. It was a windy four-o’clock night with the leaves on the Champs-Elysees singing and falling, thin and wild. (F. Sc. Fitzgerald)

Exercise 2. Insert articles where necessary. Comment on their functions.

1. The sun was setting over __ Santa Monica Bay, __ heavy orange ball against __ pale blue sky, red light reflecting back off the ocean’s glassy surface. (H. Fielding)

2. Julia spent __ happy morning in__ bed reading __ Sunday papers. She read first __ theatrical news, then __ gossip columns, after that __ women’s pages, and finally cast __ eye over __ headlines of __ world’s news. (W.S. Maugham)

3. I entered __ nobleman’s cadet school when I was a kid, my father was __ general under __ Czar and I was __ cavalry officer in __ last war. I couldn’t stand Pilsudski. We arranged to kill him, but someone gave us away. He shot those of us he caught. I managed to get across the frontier just in time. There was nothing for me but __ Foreign Legion or __ coal mine. I chose __ lesser of two evils. (W.S. Maugham)

4. The notion suited her and we fixed __ day. But when __ day came __ weather, which had been fine and warm, broke; __ sky was grey and __ drizzling rain was falling. I called up and asked her if she wouldn’t prefer to lunch in__ town. (W.S. Maugham)

5. Arabia is the land of __ nomad. The land of __ Bedouin: __ gracious, __ hospitable, __ simple and __ spiritual. __ Western man with his lust for progress sees nothing but __ future, destroying the world in his blind pursuit of __ novelty and __ wealth. (H. Fielding)

6. Deborah Marie Phillips, __ daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Reed Andrew Phillips of Lansing, was married last week to Michael Bourke, __ son of Dr. and Mrs. Reginald Bourke of Chappaqua, New York. __ Rev. James Smith performed __ ceremony at __ Roman Catholic Church of Saint Anthony in Lansing. (M. Gabot)

7. In __ summer, the tourists would arrive at __ Glace Bay. They came in their expensive cars, wearing beautiful clothes, and shopped along __ Castle Street and dined at __ Cedar House and at __ Jasper’s, and they visited __ Ingonish Beach and __Cape Smoky and __ Bird Islands. (S. Sheldon)

8. This turned out to be __ Honorable Thornton Hancock, of Boston, __ ex-minister to __ Hague, __ author of __ erudite history of __ Middle Ages and __ last of __ distinguished, patriotic, and brilliant family. (F. Sc. Fitzgerald)

9. __ pale sun was fighting its way through the clouds. She suddenly realized it was __ dawn. (S. Sheldon)

10. __ following afternoon, as __ young Ivo was returning from__ town, he saw half a dozen men ride up to his father’s farm. (S. Sheldon)

11. Ronald Reagan was elected __ President of the United States and __ Wall Street had the busiest day in its history. (S. Sheldon)

12. When Lara arrived at the lobby of __ Claridge’s, Ronald Jones, __ manager, was there to greet her. (S. Sheldon)

13. There was another loud round of applause from __ audience. __ man was taking his place at __ piano at centre stage. __ conductor gave a down-beat and __ music began. (S. Sheldon)

14. I got __ word that one of the hotels is going to lose its license. The place is a gold mine. When __ news gets out, everyone is going to be after it. (S. Sheldon)

15. “There is going to be __ charity dinner at __ Waldorf on __ Saturday evening.” (S. Sheldon)

16. They landed at __ Marco Polo Airport in Venice thirty-five minutes later, where __ limousine waited to drive them the short distance to the dock. From the dock they would take a motorboat to __ island of Giudecca, where __ Cipriani Hotel was located. (S. Sheldon)

17. They had __ leisurely dinner at a small bistro, and stopped at a wine tavern in Grinzing. Afterward, Philip said, “Would you like to go for __ cruise on __ Danube?” (S. Sheldon)

18. That was the moment when __ fictitious Rhys Williams was born. __ real Rhys Williams was __ uneducated, ignorant boy with no background, no breeding, no past, no future. But he had __ imagination, __ intelligence and __ fiery ambition. (S. Sheldon)

19. Every night, as soon as Walther was asleep, Anna would slip out of __ bed and creep into the nursery, ad sit and stare at the children until __ dawn started filtering into the room. Then she would turn and hurry back to __ bed before Walther awoke. (S. Sheldon)

20. He realized that Vivian was wrong for him, that it was out of the question for him to marry her. He was __ baronet, __ respected Member of Parliament, with __ brilliant future. He was part of __ Roffe dynasty, on the board of directors of the company. (S. Sheldon)

21. Outside, __ sky was gray and bleak, a foretaste of __ winter to come. (S. Sheldon)

22. __ iron shutters had been closed against __ late September sun, and __ draperies were drawn. (S. Sheldon)

23. Primrose lay in __ bed with __ curtains open, waiting for __ silver dawn to become __ broad day. __ quiet had woken her. (K. Saunders)

24. Hearing __ echo of Daphne’s lecture about __ true love, Lily stubbornly fixed her mind on __ present. (K. Saunders)

25. There was __ long silence, stretching into minutes, as __ past surged into __ present, and flavoured it poignantly with __ remembered happiness. (K. Saunders)

26. When I woke __ next morning, just after six o’clock, and got up and went to the window there was __ foggy dew upon __ grass like __ frost, and __ trees were shrouded in __ white mist. There was __ chill in __ air and __ little, fresh wind, and __ cold, quiet smell of__ autumn. (D. du Maurier)

27. But then I happened to make __ somewhat startling success as __ playwright, and presently I became aware that Elliot regarded me with __ warmer feeling. (W.S. Maugham)

28. Her high principles led her to believe that __ man’s duty was to go to work in __ business where by __ energy and __ initiative he had __ chance of earning enough money to keep his wife and family in accordance with the standards of his station, give his sons such __ education as would enable them on reaching __ man’s estate to make __ honest living, and on his death leave his widow adequately provided for. (W.S. Maugham)

29. She was a subscriber for all __ “Health” periodicals and phrenological frauds; and __ solemn ignorance they were inflated with was __ breath to her nostrils. (M. Twain)

30. It was __ misty afternoon, but __ February sun shone dimly, and we could just distinguish __ two fir-trees in __ yard, and __ sparely scattered grave-stones. __ spring advanced, yet my master gathered no real strength. (E. Bronte)

31. __ feelings of __ man hereditarily sensitive to property accused her of __trespassing impudence.

32. The capricious creature probably wanted __ whipping to bring her to __ understanding of __ principle called mastery, which is in __ man.

33. She even loved arithmetic and geography, __ English history and __ French grammar, which Judith had arranged that she should imbibe along with __ little Carters, from __ little Carters’ formidable governess. (A. Huxley)

34. James was now become __ young man, having had the benefits of __ university education, and acquired __ inestimable polish which is gained by living in __ fast set at __ small college, and contracting debts, and being rusticated and being plucked.

35. Possibly the lot of __ millionaire is more genuinely pitiable, since he is deluded by the solace of false and fleering pleasures, while there may be __ compulsory wisdom contained in the destitution of __ peasant.

36. When __ Countess Dowager of Southdown fell foul of __ Corsican upstart … and showed that he was a coward and a tyrant not fit to live, one whose fall was predicted, etc., Pitt Crawley suddenly took up the cudgels in favor of __ Man of __ Destiny. He described __ First Consul as he saw him at Paris at the piece of Amiens, when he, Pitt Crawley, had __ gratification of making __ acquaintance of __ great and good Mr. Fox, __ statesman … who had always had __ highest opinion of __ Emperor Napoleon. (W.M. Thackeray)

37. What is there in a pair of pink cheeks and blue eyes forsooth? These dear moralists ask and hint wisely that __ gifts of genius, __ accomplishments of __ mind, __ mastery of Mangnall’s Questions, and __ lady-like knowledge of botany and geology … are far more valuable endowments for __ female than those fugitive charms which __ few years will inevitably tarnish. (W.M. Thackeray)

38. __ full moon … hang high in the sky, among __ silver dust of stars and was bosom in __ mysterious depths of __ dark water beneath.

39. They had turned aside from the high-road to sleep at a quiet village near __ falls of __ Diosaz, and, __ sun being already low in __ cloudless sky, had mounted a point of pine-clad rock to wait for __ Alpine glow over the dome and needles of __ Mont Blanc chain.

40. … now the three sat like over-oiled machines, … heavily enamelled little figures secure beyond enjoyment in __ world where __ death and __ war, __ dull emotion and __ noble savagery were covering __ continent with __ smoke of __ terror.

Exercise 3. Articles have been removed from the following passage. Write it again including 18 missing articles.